PHD’s Mike Cooper takes new top role at Omnicom Media
PHD Worldwide CEO Mike Cooper (below), a Brit, has taken a big step up at Omnicom – becoming group CEO of Omnicom Media Group, APAC and EMEA. This is presumably the reward for a stellar period at PHD in which it improved its Unilever status and won VW’s £2bn worldwide media account.
Omnicom veteran Colin Gottlieb, one of the founders of Omnicom agency MGM and CEO of OMG EMEA, is moving to an advisory role.
OMG group chairman Daryl Simm says: “Mike’s proven talent for creating and expanding best practices across vastly different local markets has been critical to OMG’s global growth strategy. His record, and the respect he has earned from clients and agency teams at every level, speak to his energy, commitment and professionalism – qualities that he will bring to his new role, working with Hearts & Science, OMD and PHD leadership to assure the best outcomes for our clients across APAC and EMEA.”
Cooper says: “APAC and EMEA encompass an exciting mix of established and emerging markets where OMG enjoys significant market share through three strong media networks. Working with our extraordinary talent across these geographies, I will be focused on growing that share by delivering the technology, products and service that translate to business results for our clients.”
To say that Omnicom’s newest media network Hearts & Science is a strong network outside the US is pushing it a bit although it did win £40m GoCompare in the UK at the end of last year. OMG’s biggest media network is OMD, which leads to a degree of confusion. Maybe Cooper can start by tidying that one up.